A wide variety of flexible printed circuit (FPC) connectors are presently used in different environments. One prior artFPC connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,586. In this prior artpatent, a pressure member is turned upwardly about a pair of holding sections to an open position to expose the opening of the connector housing, and a flexible board is put into a space between the pressure member and contact elements. Then, the pressure member is turned downwardly to a closed position in which contact elements electrically connect with the flexible board.
The '586 patent requires that the pressure member be turned perpendicularly relative to the housing at the open position. This requirement makes the connector inefficient to operate. Furthermore, this operating configuration causes the connector to occupy a large operating space, which is counter to the trend toward miniaturization of electronic devices. Finally, the holding sections are relatively weak components, which are easily damaged during the operation of the connector, and therefore can result in a malfunction of the connector.
Hence, an improved FPC connector is needed to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies of current FPC connectors.